Package or container



G. POWELL PACKAGE 0R CONTAINER Dec. 9, 1952 2 SHEETSP-Si-IEET 2 Filed May 31. 1951 fig miaa INVENTOR. GEQQY POWELL BY;

TOQA/E Patented Dec. 9, 1952 NT QFFICE PACKAGE OR CONTAINER Gerry Powell, Bergenfield, N. J assignor to Bernard B. Workman, New York, N. Y.

Application May 31, 1951, Serial No. 229,046

6 Claims.

My invention relates to an improvement in cartons, packages or containers, and, while capable of use for the packaging of other articles, my container is intended primarily for use for packaging candy canes or candy sticks and similar fragile or brittle sticks.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a container or package which can be economically produced and which will provide protection for'the canes or sticks against damage resulting from shocks and jolts, to which the package is inevitably subjected during shipment and handling.

A further object of the invention is to provide a container or package in which the article is resiliently supported and yet, at the same time, is securely held in position and is readily removable therefrom.

More specifically, my invention provides a package in which the ends of the article are supported by two opposed inclined cradle-panels, elements or cradles, spaced from the walls of the package which parallel such cradle-panels. Inasmuch as the package is of cardboard or other flexible material, this feature in and of itself is of importance, as it provides a yieldable support for the article, to protect the same against dam-' age due to shocks and jolts.

In addition to this feature, my invention provides areas or apertures in the two inclined panels, elements or cradles just mentioned, for receiving the two ends of the article, and includes flaps or article-grasping means for resiliently retaining them against lateral and vertical displacement in the package.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein I have illustrated an embodiment of my invention,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the package blank before folding;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the blank after fold-' Fig. 3 is an elevational view of one side of the package partly in section; and

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 44 of Fig. 2.

My package or carton is of cardboard or like material and, as viewed in Fig. 1, is composed of a rectangular blank 2, which is creased transversely at 4 and 6, the areas between these creases and the extremities of the blank 2 designated 5 and 1, respectively, being cradle-securing flaps or means. At one extremity the blank 2 is provided with one or more projecting locking tabs 8, which, as will be brought out later, cooperate with transverse slits Iii, provided at the opposite end of the blank 2 at the crease 6.

The blank 2 is creased transversely at I2 and I4, and it is also creased transversely, inwardly of I2 and I 4, along lines I6 and I8. The panel I! between creases I2 and I6, and the panel I9 between creases I 8 and I4, form the side-walls of the package.

The panel 88, bounded by the lines 4 and I2 and by the lines 38, forms one cradle, while the panel 82, bounded by the lines I5 and I l and by the lines 38, forms the other cradle;

Intermediate its ends, the sides of the blank 2 are extended laterally, in alignment with the creases I6 and I8, to provide lateral panels 20 and 22, and each of these panels is in turn provided with lateral tabs or projections 22 and 2S integral therewith, and with slits 23 provided along the inner edges of the tabs 22 and 26 to separate them, along these slits, from the panels I! and I9, so that these tabs may be folded along the creases 3!] (which are in line with the creases It and I8) independently of the panels I! and I9.

The blank 2 is also creased lengthwise, in line with slits 28, along lines 32. The panel 35. between crease-lines It and I8, forms the bottom of the container.

The panels 26 and 22 are also creased transversely along lines 32, these creases being aligned with the outer edges of the tabs 24 and 26.

The panels 33 formed between each set of creases 32 and 34 provide the ends of the package.

The blank 2 may also be provided with triangular cradle-bracing tabs or projections 36 at the ends of the cradle-panels all and 82. The blank 2 is creased along lines 38, at the base of each of the cradle-brace tabs or projections 36.

To fold and erect the package blank, the lateral panels 20 and 22 are folded inwardly along the crease lines 32 until these panels (together with the tabs 24 and 26 carried thereby) stand perpendicular to the plane of the panel 35, bounded by crease lines I6, I8 and 32, which is to provide the bottom of the package.

The tabs 24 and 26 are then folded along the creases 30, until they are at right-angles to the panels 2E! and 22 (at the same time also standing perpendicularly to the bottom-panel 35) and extending parallel to the crease-lines l5 and I8."

The two ends of the blank 2 are then folded inwardly along the creases It and I8, so that the ends I? and I9 stand perpendicular to the area or package bottom 35 bounded by crease lines I6, I8 and 32.

The triangular or cradle-bracing tabs 35 are folded inwardly along crease-lines 38, towards or in the direction of the bottom-panel 35. Finally, the blank 2 is folded along crease-lines l2 and 14 in the direction of the bottom-panel 35, and along the crease-lines 4 and 6, and the cradle-bracing tabs are tucked behind the tabs 24 and 26, and the cradle-fastening tabs 8 inserted into the slits ID, to lock the parts in folded, erected position and to hold the lower edges or edge-zones of the cradle-panels 80 and 82 to the bottom 35.

The cradle-panel 80 is provided with a plurality of spaced, transverse slits and with a plurality of transverse slits 42 paralleling the slits 40.

At each end of each transverse slit 40 I provide a longitudinal slit 44 extending toward the baseline or bottom-line 4 of the cradle-panel 80, and at each end of each transverse slit 42 I provide a similar slit 46 extending in the opposite direction to slits 44.

The outer ends of slits 44 are joined by creases 48, and the outer ends of slits 46 are joined by creases 50, so as to provide a series oi sets of tabs or flaps 52 and 53 in the cradle-panel 80, adapted to be deflected along creases 48 and 58.

The slits 40 and 42 of each pair are intersected by a longitudinal slit 54, and the material of the cradle-panel 80 is creased longitudinally, along lines 55 and 58, in line with longitudinal slits 44 and 46, to provide a series of sets of side tabs or flaps 60, adapted to be deflected along the creases 56 and 58.

The slits 44 and and the crease-lines 48 and and and 58 form stick-receiving apertures 4| in the cradle-panel 89.

The other cradle-panel 82, intermediate the creases l4 and 6, is provided with a series of transverse slits 64 and 66, intersected by longitudinal slits 68. A longitudinal crease line 18 extends from each end of each slit E4 to each end of companion slit 66. This provides a series of pairs of lateral flaps 12, adapted to be deflected along crease lines 10.

Extending from the ends of each of the transverse slits 66 toward the base-line or bottomzone 6 of the cradle-panel 82, are longitudinal slits l4, intersected at their outer ends by transverse crease lines 16.

The slits 64 and 14 and the crease-lines 10 and 16 form stick-receiving apertures 43 in the cradle-panel 82.

This construction provides end-tabs or endflaps 52 and 53 and side-tabs or side-flaps 60, associated with the apertures 4|, capable of being deflected along their respective crease-lines, and sets of lateral flaps l2 and end flaps 18 associated with the apertures 43, capable of being deflected along their respective crease-lines.

It will be seen that in the erected package, the cradle-panel 80 and the cradle-panel 83 will slope inwardly and downwardly from the upper portions of the sides I! and I9, respectively, as illustrated in Fig. 4. These sloping portions or cradles 80 and 82 provide chambers or spaces 84 and 86, extending along the two opposed sides of the package between the cradles and the sides I! and I9 and the bottom 35.

It will be apparent that, in packing canes 88, for example, in my improved package, the cane is simply placed with its head upon longitudinal slit 54 and the other end thereof upon the longitudinal slit 68, then, by a slight downward pressure, the side flaps 80 and 12 at each end of the cane are deflected slightly inwardly of and into the chambers 84 and 86 between the cradles and the side-walls of the carton, and the end flaps 52 and 53 at the head of the cane and end flap 18 at the other end of the cane are also deflected inwardly of and into the chambers 84 and 86 between the cradles and the side-walls of the carton. The cane is then supported resiliently both laterally and vertically, so as to be protected against displacement and, at the same time, be protected against injury due to shocks and. jolts, and at the same time the side flaps 60 and T2 detachably restrain and exert a resilient clamping and looking action on the cane.

It will be apparent that collapse of the cradles or inclines and 82 is prevented b the provision of the triangular flaps or tabs 36, which, when folded over, as above described, provide a substantial support for cradle-panels 80 and 82, at their ends, and strengthen the corners of the package as well.

The tabs or portions 31 and 39 between the crease-lines 34 and the outer or free edges 45 and 41 may be folded inwardly in the last steps of erecting the package, to provide a protective finish along the upper edge of the two package ends 33, as illustrated in Fig. 2, for example.

It is to be understood that changes may be made in the details of construction and arrangement of parts hereinabove described, within the purview of the following claims.

What I claim is:

1. A package or container composed of a single blank, and comprising a bottom and side and end walls, the material of the blank at the ends of the container sloping downwardly within the container toward the container bottom, means for locking the two free ends of these sloping portions in relation to the bottom wall, each sloping portion being provided with at least one longitudinal slit intersected at each of its ends by a transverse slit extending equally on both sides of the aforementioned longitudinal slit, the blank at each side of each longitudinal slit being creased or scored to provide lateral articleengaging and article-retaining flaps foldable about said last-mentioned creases, and each end of each transverse slit in at least one sloping portion being intersected by other longitudinal slits disposed wholly on the side of said lateral slit opposite the first-mentioned longitudinal slit, these last-mentioned longitudinal slits being connected by a crease or score in the blank, to provide flaps foldable about said last-mentioned creases, said flaps, when folded, providing apertures in said sloping portions constructed and arranged to receive therein the article to be supported, whereby an article disposed in said apertures and bridging said sloping portions of the package or container will be yieldingly gripped and supported and restrained from movement toward all walls of said container; said flaps being spaced from the walls of said container.

2. A container for elongated articles, said container comprising integral extensions of the container ends, extending downwardly within the container at an angle to the end walls of the container to form article-cradles, the inner ends of these extensions being interlocked and lying flat upon the container bottom, a transverse chamber at each end of the container behind the said cradles, each of said cradles being slit longitudinally and creased longitudinally at each side of said longitudinal slit, each of said cradles being provided with a transverse slit uniting said creases, a longitudinal slit at each end of the transverse slits, united at their ends remote from the transverse slit by a crease, one of said cradles being provided with a second transverse slit intersecting said longitudinal slit, a longitudinal slit at each end of the last mentioned transverse slit, united by a transverse crease, to provide end flaps and side flaps in each cradle adapted to be deflected out of the plane of each cradle when the ends of the elongated article are placed upon the first mentioned longitudinal slits and slight pressure applied to the article, thereby resiliently to grip and support the article in bridging relation to the cradles, and to limit movement of said articles in all directions when restrained on said cradles; said flaps being spaced from the walls of said container;

3. A carton for supporting elongated articles at the ends thereof and for holding said articles in spaced relation to the inner surfaces of said carton regardless of the attitude of said carton, said carton being generally rectangular and having a pair of article-cradles disposed along opposed sides thereof, each of said cradles having at least one article-receiving aperture therein for removably receiving and holding an article between said cradles in spaced relation to the bottom, top and side walls of said carton, each of said cradles having integral resilient articlegrasping means associated with each aperture for detachably restraining said articles in said apertures and for restraining movement of said articles in all directions when disposed in said apertures on said cradles; all so constructed and arranged as to provide spaces between said cradle and said article-grasping means, on the one hand, and said walls of the carton, on the other hand, into which spaces the ends of an article may extend and said article-grasping means being also spaced from the walls of the carton.

4. A carton for supporting elongated articles at the ends thereof and for holding said articles in spaced relation to the inner surfaces of said carton regardless of the attitude of said carton, said carton being generally rectangular and having a pair of article-cradles disposed along opposed sides thereof, each of said cradles having at least one article-receiving aperture therein for removably receiving and holding an article between said cradles in spaced relation to the bottom, top and side walls of said carton, each of said cradles having integral resilient articlegrasping portions adjacent said aperture for detachably restraining said articles in said apertures and for restraining movement of said articles in all directions when disposed in said apertures on said cradles; all so constructed and arranged as to provide spaces between said cradles and said walls of the carton into which the ends of an article may extend, and the ends of said article-grasping portions being also spaced from the walls of the carton.

5. A container for fragile or brittle sticks of candy or the like including a bottom, opposed outside-walls extending from and transversely of said bottom, a pair of opposed cradle-panels extending downwardly from respective upper portions of opposed outside-walls to the bottom and meeting said bottom in zones spaced inwardly from the junctures of said outside-walls with said bottom, securing-means for holding the bottom-meeting zones of said cradle-panels to said bottom, each of said cradle-panels forming with its respective outside-wall a stick-end-clearance space therebetween, each of said cradle-panels having a plurality of stick-receiving apertures therein for removably receiving and holding sticks between said cradle-panels in spaced relation to said bottom and outside-walls, the stick-receiving apertures of one cradle-panel being in alignment with the stick-receiving apertures of the other cradle-panel, each of said cradle-panels having integral resilient stick-grasping means associated with the stick-receiving apertures thereof for detachably restraining sticks in said apertures and for restraining movement of said sticksin all directions when disposed in said apertures on said cradle-panels; all so constructed and arranged as to provide spaces between said cradlepanels and said stick-grasping means, on the one hand, and said outside-walls, on the other hand, into which spaces the end-portions of said sticks may extend, and said stick-grasping means being also spaced from said outside-walls.

6. A carton for supporting elongated articles at the ends thereof and for holding said articles in spaced relation to the inner surfaces of said carton regardless of the attitude of said carton, said carton being generally rectangular and having a pair of article-cradles disposed along opposed sides thereof, said cradles each having a plurality of aligned article-receiving apertures therein juxtaposed to each other, pairs of juxtaposed and aligned apertures being adapted removably to receive and hold an article between said cradles in spaced relation to the bottom, top and side walls of said carton, said cradles each having integral resilient article-grasping means associated with each aperture for detachably restraining said articles in said apertures and for restraining movement of said articles in all directions when disposed in said apertures on said cradles, all so constructed and arranged as to provide spaces between said cradle and said article-grasping means, on the one hand, and said walls of the carton, on the other hand, into which spaces the ends of an article may extend, and cradle-braces extending from said cradles into the aforesaid spaces between cradle and side-wall transversely thereof and being adapted to be supported by another portion of said carton to provide support for said cradles.

GERRY POWELL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,356,588 Bacher Oct. 26, 1920 1,616,047 Hoge Feb. 1, 1927 1,981,731 Holy Nov. 20, 1934 2,253,008 Anderson Aug. 19, 1941' 2,374,006 Freel Apr. 17, 1945 2,465,169 OConnor Mar. 22, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 291,329 Great Britain May 31, 1928 

